DE 199 22 735 A1 discloses an external lighting system for a motor vehicle with a control device for controlling an illumination based on weather conditions and road surface conditions received from an ambient conditions detection device, as well as a corresponding method for controlling an external lighting system for a motor vehicle based on the data acquired by the ambient conditions detection device. For example, an intensity distribution, a light intensity and a color of the light can be changed in order to adapt the external lighting of the motor vehicle to the detected weather and road surface conditions.